Table 2 The flow variation (%) that are critical for the N-P-K sign of the nationwide balance.

From: The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization

  

N

P

K

Outputs

Harvests (Ho)

30%

417%

41%

Cropped or grazed straw (So)

−61%

806%

32%

Cropped or grazed weeds - crops (Wo)

−28%

662%

20%

Cropped or grazed weeds - fallow (Go)

−40%

912%

28%

Woody crops pruning (Po)

(−100%)

7176%

220%

Leaching and runoff (Lo)

−60%

52%

Erosion (Eo)

692%

76%

N emissions (Vo)

−22%

Inputs

Seeds (Si)

308%

(−100%)

(−100%)

Manure (Mi)

41%

(−100%)

−41%

Field excretions (Ei)

38%

(−100%)

−38%

Other biomass entries (Bi)

160%

(−100%)

−60%

Chemical fertilizers (Fi)

31%

−95%

(−100%)

Litterfall (LFi)

357%

(−100%)

(−100%)

Rainfall (Ri)

52%

(−100%)

−64%

Irrigation (Ii)

210%

(−100%)

−61%

Soil weathering (Wi)

(−100%)

−14%

Symbiotic N fixation - cultivated legumes (Li)

140%

Symbiotic N fixation - wild legumes (LWi)

42%

Non-symbiotic N fixation (Oi)

66%

  1. The bold values identify the smaller critical values and the (−100%) notation identified the flows with negative variation superior to the flow amount.